The present invention relates to air cleaners. The invention primarily concerns air cleaners for engine air intake systems, in which the air cleaner comprises a single unit with no exterior housing.
In general, internal combustion engines require filtering of engine intake air, during operation. The filtering is conducted in order to remove undesirable levels of particulates carried within the air streams, before the air streams reach sensitive engine components.
A wide variety of air cleaner systems for use with internal combustion engines are known. One type of assembly, generally involves utilization of an exterior housing having a removable and replaceable filter element therein. A second type concerns a filter element provided with an appropriate mechanism to be attached directly to an engine air intake conduit, without being positioned within an air cleaner housing. This second type will sometimes referred to herein as a xe2x80x9cno-housingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cnon-housingxe2x80x9d air cleaner. The present application concerns the latter type of arrangement.
In general, improvements in such arrangements with respect to such features as filter life, filter efficiency, preferred air flow, and/or configuration for convenient mounting or positioning with respect to an engine, have been desired. Continual improvements are pursued, with the present invention relating to certain preferred configurations for certain selected systems.
In one aspect, an air cleaner is provided. The air cleaner preferably comprises a no-housing construction including a media pack, a first closed end cap, and a second open end cap. In preferred embodiments, the media pack defines a wedge-shaped extension of media having an oval outer perimeter. The media pack preferably extends between the first and second end caps. In certain arrangements, the air cleaner is constructed and arranged to have an efficiency of at least 96%, according to SAE J726 automotive test. In certain arrangements, the air cleaner is constructed and arranged to have a flow characteristic of at least 940 cfm according to SAE J726.
In certain preferred arrangements, the first end cap will have a length to width ratio of at least 3. In some preferred embodiments, the second end cap will have a length to width ratio of at least 2.
In preferred embodiments, the first closed end cap will include a mounting flange thereon, preferably angled.
Another aspect of the disclosure provides an engine air flow system. The engine air flow system comprises preferably an engine having a piston displacement of at least 5.0 liters. An air filter element is constructed and arranged to filter engine intake air into the engine. In certain aspects, a preferred air filter element comprises a first closed end cap and a second open end cap with a wedge-shaped region of filtering media extending therebetween. Preferred systems will include a mounting structure on the end cap for mounting to a frame to operably position the air filter element upstream from the engine. Preferred systems will include the region of filtering media having an oval outer perimeter. Preferably, the region of filtering media comprises a single layer of oiled pleated polyester fibrous media, having at least 50 pleats. Preferably, the media will weigh 1.4-1.7 ounces per square yard and have a free state thickness of 0.19-0.23 inches.